Method of making electrotype embossing-dies.



D. D. EVINS.

METHOD 0F MAKING ELECTROTYPE EMBOSSING DIES.

IAPPLCATION FILED APR.24. l9l4.

l 3,3554917@ mente@ Sept.' 21, 1915.

Dossn D. EvINs, or wnco, TEXAS.

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTROTYPE EMBOSSING-DIES.

Speciication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

Application led April 24, 1914. Serial No. 834,255.

To aZZ ywhom t may concern I Be it known that I, DossA D. EvINs, citizen of the United States, residing at Waco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Electrotype Embossing-Dies, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a new and improved method of making electrotype embossing dies for printing and embossing reproductions of any Woven fabric such as lace,lembroidery and the like.

rl`he primary object of my invention is the construction of dies of the above described character by the use of a sample of the lace,

embroidery or other fabric to be imitated.

The dies, when properly constructed, will emboss and print a representation of the fabric upon paper or other suitable material in such a manner as `to give thev finished article the appearance of a sheet of paper upon which the lace lor fabric itself is mounted.

The importance of dies capable of performing such work will be readily understood when it is realized that by this means embossed paper samples of yvarious fabrics,

particularly laces and embroidery work,

may be used by drummers, salesmen, mail order houses and the like in place of actual samples of the fabric for sale.

A further object of my invention is to provide a method of constructing dies of the above described character which will permit their rapid manufacture upon an economical scale. A

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application. f l

ln the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a sample of embroidery work from which the dies are to be made; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an electrotypers wax-case, showing the embroidery sample properly applied thereto; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing the manner of making thev impression in the wax; Fig. 4 is a corresponding sectionalview of the unbacked maleV die formed by electroplating the wax impression provided as shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the completed dies; Fig. 6 is a perspective view are to imitate. ln accomplishing this, I employ an electrotypers wax-case l0 of the usual or any preferred type, the case, of course, being filled in the usual manner with electrotypers wax 11, the surface of which is dusted with graphite or black lead. The fabric sample 12, to be imitated, is then dusted with black lead andA placed face down` upon the Wax, as shown in Fig. 2, after which a sheet of zinc 13, having a smooth lower face, which ,is also dusted with graphite, is placed over the fabric and pressed down to force the fabric into the wax, this of course causing the wax to pass through the interstices of the fabric until it contacts with the lower face of the zinc sheet or plate.

Although a zinc plate is preferred as the pressure applying means for forming the wax impression, it will of course be understood that any article having a smooth plain surface may be employed wlth equally good results. vThe plate is then raised andthe fabric removed from the wax, a clear impression of the fabric in all its details having been formed in the waX surface. The

graphite coating on the various parts, above described, prevents the fabric sticking to the wax or to the plate and also prevents the plate sticking to the wax. Furthermore, the coating of graphite upon the wax is necessary for the electroplating of the impression so formed, which electroplating constitutes the second step of the process.

The surface of the wax carrying the impression in then electroplated, preferably with copper, in the manner well known to electrotypers, the Wax-case serving as the cathode and a copper plate as the anode, the electrolyte being preferably a saturated solution of-copper sulfate, acidulated with sulfuric acid. After ashell 14 of the desired thickness has been deposited upon the Wax, the shell so formed is removed and .backed in the usual manner, as shown at 15, with v is usually preferred type metal or other suitable alloy to give it the requisite strength and stiffness.

The above described is the male die and the female die is formedby dusting the male die with graphite and then electroplating over this graphite in the same manner in which the wax'impression was electroplated,

lthe second shell 16 so formed being removed and backed in the same manner 1n which the first shell is backed,as shown at 17. The female die so formed is the die which carries' the ink, if the paper is to'be printed as Well as embossed.

rlkhe ldies are employed in the usual manner and it will ofcourse be clear that the paper or other material may be embossed' to give merely av raised facsimile of the fabric or that by inking the female die, the paper may be simultaneouslyA embossed and printed. This latter employment of the dies as it provides a background for the representation of the fabric showing the weave and-pattern to far greater advantage. l

The embossed sheet 18, shown in Fig. 6, illustrates the 'roduct of the dies formed from the samp e shown in Fig. 1 when the female-die is 'inked to print the paper as 4Well as to emboss it.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: y

1. A method of forming an embossing die for embossing material inimitation of aplate and fabric,

pressure againstl the body to force the wax i into and through the interstices of the fabric and against the body, in removingthe body and fabric from the Wax impression formed,

and in then electroplating the impression to produce the die.

2. A. process of forming a printing and embossing 4die for printing and embossing material in imitation of a fabric, which consists in placing the fabric to be imitated' face down upon a properly prepared Wax surface, in applying a smooth surfaced metallic plate against the outer `face of the fabric, in applying high pressure against the plate to force the Wax into and through. the intersticesof the lfabric and into engagement .With the plate, in removing the and in then electroplating the impression so formed to produce thel die, those portions of the Wax engaging the plate forming the portions of the Wax impression which, when electroplated, form the printing surface of the die.

' In testimony whereof 1' aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.. Y DOSSA D. EVINS. [Ls] VV-itnesses:v

v A.- RILEY,

A. B. COWAN. 

